Ties that Bind
by duchessliz87
Summary: Before becoming a member of Team 7, Sai had accepted his life of solitude. After meeting Naruto he began to form bonds. He never expected his world to be shaken when an investigation of Root's headquarters uncovers secrets from his past ... and a family that he never knew he had.


_This story is the product of a random thought of mine ... I couldn't help wondering about the Root operatives and their pasts. What was Danzo hiding? This story was the product of me trying to figure out what Sai's family history could be ... and that was a very fun thought for me. I hope you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto ... I wish I did ... but, alas, I do not ... :'(_

* * *

**Chapter One**

Senju Tsunade stared in disbelief at the file in her hand. She carefully went through the file once more, unable to trust her first read through.

"Well, shit!" she exclaimed upon the completion of her fourth review. She tossed the file aside and leaned back in her chair. " I need a drink," she groaned out as she thought of the headache that was going to come when she informed the affected parties of her discovery.

Upon Danzo's death Tsunade had ordered her Anbu to seize Root, where a thorough investigation would be made into Danzo's activities. This order had taken a backseat to the war and after everything had settled Tsunade had decided to start going through the files Danzo kept of his operatives. Danzo had been an arrogant bastard. So arrogant that he had actual files of his operatives ... a friggin' paper trail! Had his headquarters been seized while he'd still lived these files were all they would have needed to implicate the man for high treason. True, the files had been hidden in a room that had been sealed but, although the seal had been a tad bit tricky, it hadn't been impossible to break.

Most Root operatives were either orphans, from civilian families, were taken from another village, or, in one very special case, bought from his own family. It was that 'special' case that had Tsunade so disturbed.

She motioned for an Anbu. A man in a kitsune mask bowed before her, ready for his orders.

"Go inform Uchiha Sasuke and Sai that I would like to see them in my office ... immediately!"

* * *

_An hour later:_

Tsunade looked up from the file she was reading as Shizune opened the door to her office, allowing Sai and Uchiha Sasuke to enter. She waved the two into the chairs in front of her desk. When they both settled in, one with a look of displeasure on his face and the other completely blank, she closed the file in her hand and plopped it in front of the two.

Both shinobi glanced at it. The name Uchiha Sairi made Sasuke frown. Both teens looked at Tsunade in bemusement.

"Who was Uchiha Sairi?" Sasuke asked pointedly.

"Uchiha Sairi is the true name of a Root member who was taken into the organization by Danzo personally. The boy was all of seven years old. This was the year before the massacre. That boy, Sasuke, sits right next to you."

Sasuke's jaw, quite literally, dropped. He whipped around to stare at Sai, only to see the normally emotionless teen staring at Sasuke in much the same way.

"H-h-how?" Sasuke stumbled out as he looked back at the Hokage.

Sai merely nodded, indicating he wanted to know the same.

"Uchiha Sairi is the son of Uchiha Souichi and Uchiha Kotoko. Souichi died on a mission before Sairi was born. Kotoko died when the boy was but three years old. Souichi's family took him in. From what I've read of the reports, Danzo wrote that you were very quiet and introverted. Your artistic talent was genius, and when he stumbled upon you in the forest outside the Uchiha Compound drawing one day, he was very impressed with your talent and wanted the chance to mold you. He approached your fathers family and offered them a great deal of money to sign over your guardianship. He did not, however, ask permission of your mothers family. Kotoko had apparently distanced herself from her only living family while she was pregnant with you. I'm not even sure why." Tsunade frowned, not caring for the mystery that would likely never get solved.

"So ... Sai is my cousin? That's what you're telling me?" Sasuke asked, his voice shaken.

"First cousin. Uchiha Kotoko was the older sister of Uchiha Mikoto. In other words Sasuke, Sai's mother was your mother's sister," Tsunade stated to the point, as she sat back and eyed them curiously.

Both teens stared at each other in shock.

"That file contains information on you from the time you came into the organization until you joined Team 7. It also contains your birth certificate Sai ... or do you preferred to be called Sairi?"

* * *

As the teens left the Hokage's office Sasuke couldn't help looking at his ... cousin. He'd long thought of himself as the last Uchiha. After the war had ended he'd been resigned to that fact. To know that he wasn't alone, that he had family, was nothing short of earth shattering.

Sasuke's return to Konoha hadn't been an easy one. Even though he'd assisted Naruto in bring down Madara ... or Kaguya ... or whatever the hell you wanted to call 'it' ... he hadn't exactly been welcomed with open arms. Even though the other Kage's had decided to pardon him of his crimes because of his actions during the war, he still wasn't exactly trusted by them either. The village still distrusted his intentions and so Tsunade had ordered him to co-habitat with Sai since he was the most impartial member of Team 7.

Sai was relatively quiet and was usually drawing or painting. He rarely talked and generally stayed out of the Uchiha's way. Sasuke had been fine with that.

They'd been back in the village for three weeks. Six days ago Tsunade had announced her intentions to begin training Naruto for the position of Rokudaime. Sasuke hadn't exactly been happy with that announcement but ... even he could admit that the dobe had earned it.

When Tsunade had called him and Sai to her office today he'd thought maybe she had decided to change his living arrangements again. He hadn't been pleased at the thought. Sai was easy to live with and if he had to be 'monitored', he'd rather it be the quiet boy who stayed out of his hair.

He had not expected to find himself given back something he'd thought he'd lost ... family.

"So ... I take it you didn't know? That we were family?" Sasuke asked tentatively.

Sai shook his head. "No. I don't remember the time before I joined Root. I was told that I was an orphan with no family."

"I know you said that you didn't care what Tsunade called you ... Sai or Sairi, but ... would you mind if I call you Sairi? You may not be used to it, but it's your name. You deserve to be called by your name," Sasuke stated firmly. He was seriously pissed off at Danzo for, not only stealing his cousin, but for taking his name from him, his family, his heritage. He was glad that he'd ended the man's life with his own hands ... and was furious enough to wish that the man was still alive just so that he could have the pleasure of killing him all over again.

Sai nodded. "You can call me Sairi if you wish."

They both went silent as they continued walking. But it was a comfortable silence, as neither of the two were big on talking.

"Sairi? Are you hungry?" Sasuke asked his cousin as he heard what sounded like a stomach growling.

Sai nodded, the faint flush of pink in his cheeks signaling his embarrassment.

"Hn. I'm rather hungry myself. Any preferences?"

Sai tilted his head in contemplation. "Maybe the new barbeque place? Ino and Sakura were talking about it yesterday."

Sasuke nodded. "Barbecue sounds fine."

* * *

Five minutes later Sasuke was wondering why he'd thought it'd be okay. Apparently the new barbeque restaurant was a gathering for the remains of the Konoha 12, who took it upon themselves to flag Sasuke and his cousin over to their table and even order their food for them without so much as giving them a word in edgewise.

Sasuke sighed. He'd wanted to take the opportunity to get to know his last remaining family member and instead they were being bombarded with the loud enthusiasm of his former classmates.

"So Sasuke, what was it that baa-chan called you and Sai to her office for?" Naruto asked curiously.

Sai looked at Naruto in surprise. "She didn't tell you?"

Naruto shook his head. "She asked me to tell you guys that she wanted to see you in her office but she wouldn't tell me why. She said it didn't concern me." Naruto scowled. "Of course it concerns me! I'm going to be Hokage soon and the two of you are my teammates!"

The two cousins looked at each other.

"It's up to you," Sai said with a shrug. He didn't mind if Sasuke told them or kept it secret for a while longer.

Sasuke sighed. The dobe wouldn't leave him alone unless he gave in. Naruto was simply too damn persistent. So give in he did.

"We found out that Sai's real name is Uchiha Sairi. His mother was my mother's older sister."

The chattering around the table came to an abrupt halt as everyone stared at the two of them in complete and utter astonishment.

The silence was finally broken when Sai made a sound of enjoyment as he ate from the grill. Sasuke had to fight back a grin of amusement at his cousin's nonchalant attitude in the face of his friends shock.

He was definitely an Uchiha.


End file.
